Automatic focusing camera

Abstract

An automatic focusing camera including a control mechanism by which one of a plurality of automatic focusing modes is automatically selected in accordance with a photographing mode. The view finder of the camera is provided with a plurality of distance measuring zones, and distances of objects corresponding thereto are measured, respectively, to enable an output of distance measuring data. The automatic focusing modes are set for a plurality of the distance measuring zones, to thereby focus the photographing lens on one or more objects corresponding to the distance measuring zones. The control unit, based on lens information of the photographing lens and the distance measuring data, calculates a depth of field in accordance with the selected automatic focusing mode, and determines whether or not the object distance is within the required depth of field, to thereby cause the photographing lens to be moved into the required depth of field.

I claim: 
     
       1. An automatic focusing camera for carrying out photographing according to a photographing mode, and having a view finder provided with a plurality of distance measuring zones, said camera comprising: a photographing lens;   means for measuring distances of objects corresponding to said distance measuring zones, respectively, and to output distance measuring data denoting the object distances;   means for selecting, in accordance with the photographing mode and the distance measuring data, one of a plurality of automatic focusing modes in which an automatic focusing operation is carried out based on one or a plurality of the distance measuring data which correspond to said distance measuring zones, respectively, and are obtained by said measuring means;   means for calculating, based on lens information of said photographing lens and the distance measuring data, a depth of field in accordance with the selected automatic focusing mode;   means for determining whether or not a respective object distance measured by said measuring means is within the calculated depth of field; and   means for controlling a focusing of said photographing lens in accordance with a result determined by said determining means, to thereby cause said photographing lens to be moved into the depth of field.   
     
     
       2. An automatic focusing camera according to claim 1, further comprising means for measuring the luminance of the object to thereby output luminance data denoting the photometry, said controlling means calculating a shutter speed and an aperture value based on the photographing mode and the photometry data. 
     
     
       3. An automatic focusing device according to claim 1, wherein said automatic focusing modes include a mode in which said photographing lens is moved to a position at which all of the measured object distances are within the depth of field. 
     
     
       4. An automatic focusing device according to claim 1, wherein said automatic focusing modes include a mode in which two distance measuring zones in which the objects are closest to the photographer are selected, and the photographing lens is moved to a position at which the two object distances are within the depth of field. 
     
     
       5. An automatic focusing device according to claim 1, wherein said automatic focusing modes include a mode in which two distance measuring zones in which the distance between two objects is the smallest among all of the distance measuring zones are selected, and the photographing lens is moved to a position at which the object distances of the two objects are within the depth of field. 
     
     
       6. An automatic focusing device according to claim 1, wherein said automatic focusing modes include a mode in which the distance measuring zone in which the object distance is an intermediate distance among all the distance measuring zones is selected, and the photographing lens is moved to a position at which the object distance is within the depth of field. 
     
     
       7. An automatic focusing device according to claim 1, wherein said automatic focusing modes include a mode in which the object distance closest to the photographer, among all the distance measuring zones, is selected, and the photographing lens is moved to a position at which the object distance is within the depth of field. 
     
     
       8. An automatic focusing device according to claim 1, wherein said automatic focusing modes include a mode in which the object distance farthest from the photographer among the distance measuring zones is selected, and the photographing lens is moved to a position at which the object distance is within the required depth of field. 
     
     
       9. An automatic focusing device according to claim 1, wherein said automatic focusing modes are given priorities, respectively, so that, when an automatic focusing mode having a highest priority can not be selected, another automatic focusing mode having a next order of priority is selected. 
     
     
       10. An automatic focusing device according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of said photographing modes are provided and the priorities of each of said automatic focusing modes are different in each photographing mode. 
     
     
       11. An automatic focusing camera having a view finder provided with a plurality of distance measuring zones, said camera comprising: a photographing lens;   means for measuring distances of objects corresponding to said distance measuring zones, respectively, and to output distance measuring data denoting the object distances;   means for selecting, in accordance with a focal length of said photographing lens and the distance measuring data, one of a plurality of automatic focusing modes in which an automatic focusing operation is carried out based on one or a plurality of the distance measuring data which correspond to said distance measuring zones, respectively, and are obtained by said measuring means;   means for calculating, based on lens information of said photographing lens and the distance measuring data, a depth of field in accordance with the selected automatic focusing mode;   means for determining whether or not a respective object distance measured by said measuring means is within the calculated depth of field; and   means for controlling a focusing of said photographing lens in accordance with a result determined by said determining means, to thereby cause said photographing lens to be moved into the depth of field.   
     
     
       12. An automatic focusing camera comprising: a photographing lens;   means for measuring distances of objects corresponding to a plurality of distance measuring zones;   means for selecting in accordance with a photographing mode and distance measuring data, one of a plurality of automatic focusing modes in which an automatic focusing operation is carried out based on one or a plurality of the distance measuring data which correspond to said distance measuring zones, respectively, and are obtained by said measuring means;   means for calculating, based on lens information and the distance measuring data, a depth of field in accordance with the selected automatic focusing mode;   means for determining whether or not a respective object distance corresponding to the distance measuring data is within the calculated depth of field; and   means for controlling a focusing of said photographing lens in accordance with a result determined by said determining means, to thereby cause said photographing lens to be moved into focus.   
     
     
       13. An automatic focusing camera for carrying out photographing according to a photographing mode, and having a view finder provided with a plurality of distance measuring zones, said camera comprising: a photographing lens;   means for measuring distances of objects corresponding to said distance measuring zones, respectively, and to output distance measuring data denoting the measured object distances;   means for setting one of a plurality of automatic focusing modes in which an automatic focusing operation is carried out based on one or a plurality of the distance measuring data which correspond to said distance measuring zones, respectively, and are obtained by said measuring means;   means for calculating, based on lens information of said photographing lens and the distance measuring data, a depth of field in accordance with the set automatic focusing mode;   means for determining whether or not a respective object distance measured by said measuring means is within the calculated depth of field; and   means for controlling focusing of said photographing lens in accordance with a result determined by said determining means, to thereby cause said photographing lens to be moved into a depth of field.